THE DOBSON MURDER CASE.

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 144, 13 December 1866, Page 3

THE DOBSON MURDER CASE.

TRIAL OP WILSON. £*<f (Abridged from the West Coast Times.) . V.. ' • Monday, Dec. 10. Theodore St:-eli?, s/irgeon, Croymouth, deposed' to having in. conjunction with Dr. Foppoly made a post mortem examination of the body of George Dobson. He described tlie appearance of the marks of violence about the head and neck of the deceased, showing that death had been caused by suffocation by pvossure on the larynx, inflicted apparently by the thumb pr hand of some other person. Caroline Fellows, wife of the proprietor pf the Criterion Hotel, Groymouth, knew the prisoner. He came to her house in May last, a:ul remained more than a week He had no swag when lie came, but about a week afterwards witness noticed a swag under his bed. Prisoner usually rose at an early hour, between five and seven o'clock. On the Friday evening after the death of Mr Dobson, the prisoner was sitting in the dining room, and said he was not particular about getting up so • early the next morning, as he had been up early, every, .morning during the week. - Did not remember Sullivan having ever palled for the prisoner at her house. Edward Fellows, being called and sworn, deposed :' lam a son of the,last • witness. I know the prisoner at the bar, , p.nd have frequently seen him. I remember the month of. May last. The prisoner pame to our house on the 25th or 26th of May. We both stayed in. the one room, and 1 slept in the bunk above him. Sometimes he rose very early— about half -past six, at break of day. On the Wednesday and Thursday succeeding his arrival he rose about half-past six o'clock in the morning. On the Friday morning he did not rise very early. ' I observed the prisoner's boots on Saturday, the 26th May, at about half-past five, and on the Tuesday following, (the 29th). They were vjry light elasticrside women's boots. When I observed them on the Tuesday evening they, were wet, as. were also.his pocks. A man called for prisoner on the Wednesday or Thursday following his arrival at our house. Prisoner was at his tea. I believe the witness. Sullivan, whom I now see, to be the man that called for him. I cannot say whether prisoner had any swag when he rirst came to our house Afterwards I noticed two swags. One was a red swag, the other a blue.. They were at the bottom, and under his bed. Cross-examined by Mr. Button : On the mornings of the 28th and 29th May I was not at' home. Prisoilla Fellows, b.eing called and sworn, deposed : I am daughter, of Mrs Fellows, who formerly kept the Criterion Hotel, at Greymouth. I know the prisoner jit the' Tsar. I recollect the time he was staying at my mother's house. I recollect haying seen two swags under the bed in which prisoner slept. I never made any remark or grumbled to any person about the prisoner having a late breakfast, or about his getting up late.. I only remem- ' ber the prisoner being to breakfast one morning, which was on' a Sunday. Benjamin Barnard, being sworn, deposed : I now reside at the Buller, but in the month of May last I'-was landlord of *$, the Provincial Hotel, Greymonth. I re--0 member Burgess, Kelly, and Sullivan ' lodging at my house in that month. They rose from their beds sometimes at six O;'clook v and sometimes at seve.u o'clock in

the morning. There woro times that they got up at the break of day. Ido not remember the 28th May. Nothing particular that 1 know of occurred on that day. I do now recollect having heard that George Dobson had been murdered on that day. Kelly was at my house six or eight times before the 28th May. Sullivan and ijurgoss wore, in my house about two days. Mr South — You givt one a great deal of trouble. You seem to want everything dragged out of you. Witness — No, I don't. Mr ijoutii— I am glad to hoar it. Examination continued— The three of them left on the. Saturday succeeding the 28t.1i May. I tliink I saw the prisoner at the bur on one occasion with thos<i thvoc men. " I remember having soon a long handled shovel with thorn. I think Kelly used to -take it a,s he- s«-i,iii he had a claim oil the North Beach. I think the prisoner nt the bar hsd a drink with tljeni one night at lry hou^e in the little parlor. I do not remember Burgess being unable to put his boots on, but 1 if collect his making §ome observation about his heel being soi?o. Burgess remained at home one day j to recejvc I/evy. I think this was on Monday, the 28th. I believe Kully and Sullivan v/ci-c out on thab day. Ido no 1 ; recollect the time Kelly and Snllivan loft. On the Saturday before the Monday I recollect Kully saying that he was going to Cobdon ; ha loft thufc day, and rotitrned on that or the following night. When ho returned his eye was cut. It war, a nasty cub. Either Burgoss or Sullivan proposed to suck his eye to prevent it from getting black. On the day that Bui'gcss stayed at home ho- played cai'ds with Mrs Barnard ; ho wsi3 the only one of that party who roinahisd in my house that day. I don't romoiubev Sullivan being at my housa whan h-df a sovereign was on the table. Ido not remember Sullivan asking Mrs Barnard how was Tommy's c} r e ? 1 do not remember Burgess telling Sullivan thrit he had not; been out all day ; but I will not undertake to swear- that Sullivan ■v;-:i,s Jiot in my limiso <»i that evening. Mr. South — D>> you not remembar that Burgess, Sullivan, your wife and self, , were all present in one room on a par- - sti'jnlar niglit. • Mr Button — I object to this question, us it is putting the words in the mouth of the witness ; my learned friend might ask " what persona were present." The question was allowed. AVitness — I do not. Cross-examined by Mr Button : I did not hear on the 28th May, 1800, that Dobson was murdered. ] have nothing to mark the 21th, and T cannot swear that tlie events I havo detailed actually transpired mi that day. Ido not remember Burgess coining in late one day and some cold'pndding being got for him. Burgess has played cards in my house two or three times ; he did play cards olio, moruing. Ilia Worship : Do you recollect Burgess playing more than once . in the day time ? 'Witness.-: He played several times, sometimes in the evening. His Worship : Did he play cards more than on one occasion in tho. day time ? Mr Button : Perhaps • your Worship will allow mo to finish the examination of the witness. His Worship : Oh ! very well. Cross-examination continued : Burgess played cards on several occas'ons.-Re-examined by Mr South : I sometimes washed up the breakfast things. Mr South : Will you swear that you did not st-iy upsoiiio nights playiug cards, and then giii lip late in tho morning ? Witness.: I will. Mr. South : Be careful, fop I intend to call other evidence. Ru-oxauriuation continued : I do not know whether tho day Kully returned with the black oyo was the Saturday previous to the 2Sth of May or the Saturday *Siffcer. Mr South here put a leading question t > which Mr Button objected. An iiv.jr'l--ment then ensued, when Mr. South referred to. the prevarication of the witness, and the hostility manifested by him to the Civwn. He also alluded to, tho connection of the witness with the " notorious g.ino;." Mr Button replied, stating that he thought the imputations, most unfair. Merely because' these men happened- to lodge at the house of tlie. witness, was that any reason that he should be pronounced a hostile witness ? Mr South replied, and his Worship permitted the question to be put. Re-examination continued : For three v or four days. running Burgess, Kelly, and Sullivan had dinner at my place. [This Avitness evidently answered the questions with great reluctance, and his Worship had occasion to speak to him somewhat sharply.] Mr South here, stated lie had one.witness'whom he was desirous, to call, but that he was not in town. He would therefore request the " remand of the prisoner till Wednesday next. The prisoner was accordingly remanded.